Crime Fighting Dominates, Short CITCOM Meeting Earns an A

Little time was wasted last night. Even the two commissioners who can't resist nit-picking, David Poulton and Pat Capello, kept it relatively short, as the commission heard representatives from the Michigan Department of Corrections describe parole and probation procedures. The information had been requested by Poulton, Capello, and Peggy Goodwin.

Goodwin then led the conversation about revitalizing the City's Crime Prevention Council. Her ideas included involving the entire community with a town hall or two. Mayor Jim Ellison added that retailers, restaurants, and the Chamber of Commerce should be included in determining what actions the city takes.

Everyone agreed that the whole crime prevention issue should be one of the topics addressed during Saturday's long-range strategy session being held in Troy. (As the meeting began, Capello won approval of her motion that hereafter any long-range planning session about Royal oak will be held in Royal Oak.)

The rest of the meeting was routine, dealing with the location of trash receptacles, sidewalk cafes, a walk-up window, and the coming appointment of a resident to serve on the party bus task team. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes.

Vote for the Person or for the Party?

"I never vote for a party. I vote for the candidate."

That mental posture is admired by those who consider it morally superior to voting a straight ticket. Some believe that voting for the individual makes one an Independent and that being an Independent is morally superior to being either a Democrat or a Republican. (I think many "Independent" voters are more accurately described as "Undecided." Even when they split the ticket, they fall one way or the other when they enter the voting booth.)

Labeling Democrats "the party of government" needn't denigrate those tens of millions who believe that most socioeconomic matters are best addressed by governmental actions. Republicans are equally sincere in their belief that private and corporate initiative is superior in assisting personal, family, nonprofit institutional, and business success. When told that Obamacare consumes a substantal share of the budget, Repubs gasp and Dems say, "Great. That's' as it should be." Both parties have their bad apples and experience corruption.

All that said, a couple of thoughts: First, on a long ballot, how many voters are familiar enough about the many names to vote knowledgeably by individual? Of course, one can vote for governor or mayor or president on one slate, then just check every other name on the other party's ballot. Second, in legislatures -- in any city, county, state, national election which is not nonpartisan -- a single legislative vote can make the party line more important than the individual. That being the case, dedicated Dems and Repubs feel comfortable voting for the party philosophy, even at the expense of electing people of questionable competence.

Born in a Roosevelt-loving working class ethnic community, I voted straight Democrat casting my first vote after World War II. Then for a few elections I proudly boasted about being an Independent, until I became aware that (a) I was finding it impossible to know enough about individuals to make meaningful distinctions, and (b) where I knew enough about individuals, I was checking mostly Republicans.

Admittedly, it's hard to think of a political party as a principled philosophical mindset when observing the behavior of too many power-seeking or money-seeking politicians – but we voters do the best we can.

Frank Versagi is the editor of Versagi Voice.